The Harvest Family Hoot welcomes singer/songwriter Jess Goggans to the celebration as an Artist-At-Large! Recognized for her sultry southern grit, soulful melodies and high-energy stage presence, it is said that you can literally feel her voice moving through you. Jess’ music defies genre; it’s been referred to as “get down music,” with influences of funk, rock and blues. You might feel as if you’re hearing Janis Joplin live in concert! Her presence is a great addition to the potpourri of musical styles that will be front and center in April and we’re thrilled to have her on board.

A lot of work has gone into making this year’s edition of the Atlanta Holiday Hootenanny extra special to celebrate the life, music & energy of Col. Bruce Hampton. I am grateful to be producing this wonderful show that benefits Atlanta Habitat for Humanity with the help from some amazingly talented friends (including Larry Keel!), and the only thing that will be missing is YOU! Come on over for what promises to be a unique night of music that won’t be presented in such a way again – find a sitter if you need to and just do it!

If you need encouragement, please read this great preview of the Holiday Hootenanny written by Jerry Grillo and published in Atlanta Magazine online:

~ The December 20 jam session, which features two dozen musicians, benefits Atlanta Habitat for Humanity ~

Y’all we have some great items up for bid this year, so come prepared to take home a great gift to yourself or someone else! For the first time, we are thrilled to offer some sports memorabilia, and live auctioneer duties will be performed by Seth Weiner, also part of the Inside Out w/ Turner & Seth podcast! Below are some items you can expect to see:

~ Guitar autographed by musicians participating in the evening’s festivities.

~ 2-night weekend stay at cabin in Blue Ridge, GA. Also being offered is 3-night stay during the week. Must use between the months of April-August. Accommodates 6-8.

~ Dining gift certificates from Atlanta and Decatur restaurants.

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Can’t wait to see y’all out on Wednesday to support this incredible night of music! It’s going to be truly special, and even more so with your presence there. PLEASE share this posting and encourage your friends and family to come on out for this one. If you know me at all, you know it’s going to be mighty fine! Zambi!

Make your plans now to join us for a celebration of music, friends, fellowship, and the life and memory of one of the most unique individuals of our time! Great music makes your life a lot happier, and I can assure you that you won’t be leaving this concert with anything but a big ol’ grin on your face! The 7th Annual Atlanta Holiday Hootenanny promises to be a positively emotional experience, remembering our good friend Col. Bruce Hampton in a way that only the Atlanta music community can pull it off. His final band that is featured on the Live At The Vista Room recording, The Madrid Express, will be anchoring down the final set, with a plethora of musicians to join in the madness. You don’t want to miss this very unique night!

Below is a video of Col. Bruce singing one his staples, Space is the Place, featuring an amazing horn section (including Joe Grandsden!) and the legendary Johnny Knapp, who will be participating in the Zambi Jam Finale this year.

PLEASE SHARE & SPREAD THE WORD! Don’t be bashful and get your tickets now to ensure your presence for this absolutely amazing night of music for a great cause in Atlanta Habitat for Humanity!

Tickets are ON SALE NOW at the Terminal West box office (no service fee) and online through the Terminal West website for the 7th Annual Atlanta’s Holiday Hootenanny, taking place Wednesday December 20. Get yours today! We are incredibly excited about this year’s edition and at the same time remembering good friend Col. Bruce Hampton, who participated in not only every Holiday Hoot but also many other TDawg produced events. Be sure you’re a part of the celebration AND supporting a great cause in Atlanta Habitat by getting your tickets!

The Holiday Hoot is now only 8 WEEKS OUT and promises to be an amazing and dizzying night of music featuring some of the finest musicians from the Atlanta music scene and the Southeast region. All of the musicians involved were touched by Col. Bruce one way or another in their development, making this year’s edition extra special. I couldn’t be happier to have the gathered ensemble of players to celebrate the life and music of one of the most amazing individuals in my life and countless others.

As many folks reminded me prior to last weekend, March 31-April 1 marked what would have been the 20th edition of TDawg’s Back Porch Hootenanny had I decided to continue producing the Hoots. I could not have asked for a better way to complete that chapter of my life than last year’s finale that featured some of my closest friends of the last 19 years who have been involved in concerts and festivals in Atlanta and around the Southeast with me.

Instead of a Hootenanny, I flew to Houston for the week to attend my 30th high school reunion and to help tend to my father, who broke his hip and had surgery to repair. Complicated by Alzheimer’s, recovery is no small feat, but after a week in the hospital Dad is recovering nicely and steadily in a physical rehab facility. He’s a strong man with a happy perspective on life. It’s tough to see your parents go through anything like this, and I’m certainly glad I can be there for him in much the same way he has always been there for me over the years. I look forward to returning much sooner than later! As for the reunion, social network has softened the surprise effect of a reunion these days, although still to physically see some of my classmates for the first time since we graduated in May of 1987 was something else. It’s good to know we’re still kicking it hard! It was great to catch up with old friends, meet their spouses, and gain a nice introspective into oneself, too.

A major point that last week reemphasized for me was that I really am in a state of transition professionally. A mid-life crisis? No. A time for change? Yes. Over the last 24 years, I have gained some great experiences that both came my way and were created by me. I worked on the Super Bowl XXVIII Halftime Show, World Cup’94 (European Broadcast Union), the Atlanta Olympics (Atlanta Olympic Broadcasting), Aids Walk Atlanta, and many free lance production jobs from 1993-2004. I created HarvestFest and the TDawg’s Back Porch Hootenanny series, Atlanta’s Holiday Hootenanny, and several smaller festivals. I have also been actively involved in some wonderful non-profits as a volunteer, including Atlanta Dogwood Festival and the Frank Hamilton School. These experiences have emboldened me to take on just about anything that is thrown my way, to have the confidence to step into the fire if necessary. I am looking for any opportunities that can utilize my vast skill set as a special event manager or coordinator and can utilize my knowledge and network of contacts in the event industry, catering industry, and production. For the right non-profit, event management company or for-profit corporation, I know that I can be an asset immediately. I am putting this energy out to the universe now in hopes that I can stir the pot a bit.

I have been actively looking since the beginning the of the year as I continue as a board member for the Frank Hamilton School and act as Director of Concerts & Community Outreach. FHS is a passion for me, and I believe now more than ever that we need non-profit institutions like Frank Hamilton School in our communities to teach music, community, and the arts to our children and adults alike. As we transition to fully utilizing Oakhurst Baptist Church as our school and a music venue, the ongoing Frank Hamilton School Concert Series will slow down to accommodate the opportunities we create at the church, as the sanctuary has proven to be an excellent music venue, too. I also plan to continue producing my annual Holiday Hootenanny for Atlanta Habitat for Humanity as well as the annual JerryDay ATL event at Terminal West, and you might see an occasional TDawg Presents concert pop up on the radar. Pay attention when that happens 😉

If you have read this far, thank you. I’m grateful to continue bringing live music performances and music educational opportunities into the greater Atlanta community – I KNOW it makes a difference. I realize that the same passion I have for producing these events will be a great resource for the right organization. Please feel free to contact me with any ideas 😉

The Frank Hamilton School is thrilled to present this incredibly dynamic trio of singer/songwriters/performers and we REALLY hope you can make it on out. Each musician is unique, and they blend together for a wonderful symmetry of sounds. Ralph Roddenbery, Donna Hopkins, and Big Daddy are going to bring it, and we hope you’re there to receive it! Below is a great video of Donna Hopkins and Ralph Roddenbery at Suwannee Roots Revival at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park last fall with a full band backing them – enjoy! A special thanks goes out to Richard Baumgarten for recording this set!

The next video is Big Daddy with his absolutely amazing band Acoustic Syndicate (one of my absolute favorites!) and it’s a five video playlist. Enjoy!

Well folks we’re only 10 days out from what promises to be one of the finest Hootenannies yet September 19-20! You can get your advance tickets by visiting the official TDawg’s Back Porch Hootenanny page and clicking on either FRI-SAT or SAT only – both include camping!

Atlanta’s Rolling Nowhere just successfully completed their first tour out West, and let’s just say it rejuvenated and inspired the fellas, and they’re gonna bring it to you on Saturday afternoon September 20! Below is a live video from a performance in Nashville a few months back, showcasing their rockin’ and raucous sound – comin’ right atcha!

Chattanooga’s own Strung Like A Horse has been tearing it up for several years now, and TDawg Presents is excited to have them as a staple of TDawg’s Back Porch Hootenanny! Their unique brand of music, which they affectionately describe as Gypsy-Punk-Garage-Grass, will have you boogeyin’ late into the night! Check’em out below in a clip from Music City Roots.

Y’all this is going to be a BIG time! Don’t miss out on it – get your tickets now!